The Globe and Mail reports that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has told Oxfam Canada that its mission statement is too broad in that it provides the organization’s purpose in that it includes preventing poverty, which might benefit people who are not already poor. CRA therefore concluded that preventing poverty is not an acceptable goal when asked to approval Oxfam CAnada’s application for renewal of its non-profit statuts with Industry Canada. Oxfam Canada eventually conceded the point, by using the term “alleviate” instead of “end” or “prevent” in its revised mission statement. The newspaper report notes OxFam Canada has proven to be a thorn in the current Canadian government’s side, and cites (not directly related) allegations that CRA is selectively auditing charities that have criticized government policies.
Lloyd Mayer
